[How-To] Keeping surfaces new looking

[Dan Krager]

Maybe everyone has new machines. It seems that all the pictures show pristine bare metal surfaces. I'd like to know how to keep stuff new looking like that. I don't have rust problems, but the metal seems to eventually oxidize to a brownish color. I clean and oil (Mobile One synthetic) stuff as I use it, but over time it still takes on a patina that doesn't interfere with anything (at my level of precision), but it looks old. What's the trick?
DanK

 

[pontiac428]

Scotchbrite, Fluid Film (lanolin), and elbow grease. It's still a lot to keep up with.

 

[extropic]

I haven't tried to keep anything looking bright-as-new, but if I wanted to . . .
A good quality paste wax, applied very well, would be my base coat over bright metal.
That's a fairly popular approach amongst woodworkers.

Paste Wax for Table Saws & Machinery | Popular Woodworking

In my recent postings, I’ve been writing about silicone oil and fish eye. So a few days ago I was having a deep discussion with a friend about paste wax, and it reminded me of the time I was in a…

www.popularwoodworking.com

Following is an article from a guy making $ when you click his links to Amazon.
However, you may find useful info in the article.

The 8 Best Waxes for Your Table Saw Explained | Saw Tips

When you’re using your table saw for woodworking, you want to ensure that your saw is working as efficiently as possible. When a table saw…

sawtips.com

 

[PNW_Guy]

What's your humidity levels? None of my tools (woodshop and machine shop) oxidize unless unused for months. I usually keep a thin film of oil on the mill table, and paste wax on the table saw.

But my humidity levels are pretty low.

 

[Dan Krager]

The shop is temperature and humidity controlled with a capable minisplit. Actual relative humidity hovers at or below 50%, depending upon which humidistat I look at.

Ya, I was afraid elbow grease was involved. I have kept cast iron tables rust free and nice looking in unheated shops in the southern IL humidity with carnuba wax for years with little more than one application on a heated surface, just enough to melt the wax into the pores. That works. But lathe chucks are very different from cast iron and was has not been as effective as I think I would like.

Thanks for the input.
DanK

 

[C-Bag]

Scotchbrite, Fluid Film (lanolin), and elbow grease. It's still a lot to keep up with.

+1. I’ve tried them all and Fluid Film is the only thing that works for me beside keeping stuff covered. Fluid Film is also my goto for non ball bearing type drawer slides. Better than way oil which I use for lubing ways on the mill and lathe. I also used FF for and old master lock which was stuck. Freed it up and it works good now.

 

[Firstram]

+1. I’ve tried them all and Fluid Film is the only thing that works for me beside keeping stuff covered. Fluid Film is also my goto for non ball bearing type drawer slides. Better than way oil which I use for lubing ways on the mill and lathe. I also used FF for and old master lock which was stuck. Freed it up and it works good now.

Same thing here in coastal NC. A coat of FF will keep things working and looking good for a long time. It's also perfect for storing things long term!

 

[pontiac428]

I clean the table top pretty regular, it keeps me from dropping stuff on it like it's just another horizontal surface. I gave this a 5-minute cleaning yesterday, because I was making heavy, hot cuts using castor oil (it's what I had handy). The burned castor mist oxidized the steel, because that's what happens when you put natural oils in a molecular blender and add heat. Castor also leaves the shellac that we remember having hell cleaning off our control line planes. It was dumb, I should have used petroleum. I don't go all out on the front of the table, as you can see. That's more elbow grease than I want to uncork for now.

 

[pontiac428]

Everything shiny that wasn't factory chromed was ruddy brown when I got this. No power tools were used, just hand work. Richard King recommended using maroon scotchbrite 1/4" arbor wide wheels for this type of cleaning. I ended up just doing it by hand, though. It's not mirror clean like new machines, but it's a clean working machine.

 

[extropic]

I've read good opinions of Fluid Film before (many times) but have never bought any.
I don't remember knowing it is Lanolin based before reading above.
Lanolin is 'da Bomb and I will order some Fluid Film forthwith.
Thanks guys.